Technical publications help designers expand their knowledge

The Tech Spotlights provide user friendly bite sized technical updates so that engineers can quickly broaden their knowledge on topics vital to their professional development.

Dianne Kibbey, Global Head of Community and Social Media for the element14 community, stated: “We understand that everyone from expert makers to experienced engineers have a need to stay up to date on the latest technologies and developments in the electronics industry, yet everyone is challenged for time. We’re publishing these Tech Spotlights as a series of short articles that can be read and understood in a reasonable amount of time. We are always looking for new ways to help our community expand their skillset and continue to create the ground breaking designs our community is known for.”

Currently published Tech Spotlights include:

Sensor Fusion 

This technical article goes under the hood of sensor fusion technology, a solution to overcome the limitations of a single physical sensor by combining data from multiple sensors and provides a more accurate picture of the object environment. The article includes examples, a breakdown of categorisations of sensor fusion, background on models, algorithms and latest trends.

MQTT protocol

MQTT (Message Queueing Telemetry Transport) is a protocol that aims to meet the demands of IoT communication requirements, taking very few bytes to connect to a service allowing easy implementation on low end microcontrollers, consuming low power. This article takes the reader through the protocol mode, standard packet structure and real-world applications.

Silicon Carbide Technology 

Traditional silicon power devices have reached the limit in terms of blocking voltage, operational temperature and switching characteristics. This article overviews the latest in SiC (Silicon carbide) technology which allows power devices to operate at very high power, higher voltages, higher temperatures and higher frequencies than ever before.

Functional safety design 

Functional safety design is becoming a hot topic due to the increasing number of government mandates and the rising applications of artificial intelligence. This article reviews the growing demand for functional safety systems, put in place to reduce risk of harm to people and equipment when machines malfunction or when their operating environment is interrupted.

The element14 community was the first community specifically built for engineers. With over half a million engineers, manufacturers, inventors and innovators, the element14 community offers a number of important benefits to its members including an unbiased online forum where they can find 24/7 support by connecting, collaborating and seeking advice as they face tough project challenges. It also gives members access to the Design Centre, a comprehensive resource that brings together the latest development tools, technical information from suppliers, community discussions, webinars and live chats with the element14 support team.